


breakwater

by en passant (corinthian)



Series: /brāk/ [2]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-28
Updated: 2015-01-28
Packaged: 2018-03-09 09:53:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3245297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corinthian/pseuds/en%20passant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Of course, he goes to tell Chris first. His feet have started him towards the Arclight home before the thought even finished processing in his mind. There’s a lightness in his step — goodbyes are easier the second time around.</p><p>--</p><p>On the way to losing a brother, and grief for things a brother already lost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	breakwater

Of course, he goes to tell Chris first. His feet have started him towards the Arclight home before the thought even finished processing in his mind. There’s a lightness in his step — goodbyes are easier the second time around.

Chris isn’t home, instead his younger — but not youngest — brother lounges at the front gate. There’s something static about Thomas Arclight, or maybe it’s that the scar on his face and shock of blond hair amongst the burgundy are both too prominent. Traits that stay the same, like the overly expressive sneer, the way that Thomas leans forward and down and swaggers.

“Tch, you calling after V? He isn’t here, you know.” Thomas tosses his head back, bares his teeth in a grin. They both know, remember each time they face each other, the time with Haruto. It doesn’t change because neither of them want it to and because every time he can, Thomas will ask — “But if you want to stick around, I’ll give you a show that you won’t ever forget! Another taste of my service.”

“If you’re looking to impress Ryouga, he’s at Yuma’s.” Kaito says, biting down his instinctive anger — even though he can’t stop his right hand from sweeping back and then to his side, where his deck usually is holstered.

Thomas’s face flushes, twists. “ _Ryouga_? If he’s on your mind, should we try a double act? Say, _Kaito_ , what are you looking for V anyway? What’s Faker’s son doing being a stray dog to V? Hah? Or are you just looking to get cast aside by him again?”

“Is that why you stay here?” With your father, is implied. Kaito turns on his heel and leaves, though. “Let Chris know I’m looking for him.”

It doesn’t really matter if he sees Chris before he goes, anyway, it was only a courtesy call.

The speech he has planned for Haruto is different. Kaito takes his time to approach his brother, picks Sunday morning and takes him out to the edge of the city. They have a picnic, and catch frogs because Haruto’s into frogs now.

“Even though Amane says we’re gonna have to cut them open in science class, next year,” Haruto says and laughs. He does that thing that Kaito hates, but never says he does, too. The wide eyed smile that stretches his face into a stranger’s; he wears the face that only asked for screams and suffering.

“For dissection, huh. How does Amane know?” 

“She has an older brother. He’s kind of weird, but not in a bad way.” Haruto squeezes the frog a little and then drops it. Kaito catches the animal, and gently sets it on the ground. Haruto has a bad habit of treating animals like the robots — sometimes, Kaito wonders if it’s because Haruto is a kid and kids do that kind of thing but other times — “He got me ice cream the other day.”

“I hope you thanked him for that.”

“Of course I did!”

“Haruto, can I tell you something?” He’s not quite sure how to start it, but he needs to. Kaito has been bracing himself for weeks, now. 

“Hm? Of course! You can tell me anything.” Haruto had gained an easy to please smile and tone of voice. Kaito had been trying to break him of it, but the sweet look was infinitely more effective on all adults (barring Dr. Faker) than Kaito’s _own_ tactics of wheedling which were far less cute.

“I’m going to be going on a trip, for a while.” A long while. “So I want to say goodbye properly.”

The smile drops off of Haruto’s face and the terrifying vacancy that he had worn for over half his life reappeared. Kaito’s gut twists, but he forces his face to stay neutral and gentle. He worries that Haruto might have seen through his lie but what Haruto says instead, is much worse.

“You can’t leave me, you promised.”

It’s the statement any child might make to their older sibling but it _means_ so much more to them. Of course it does. Kaito _did_ promise. He promised when they lived by the lake. He promised when the men first came to take Haruto away and then again and again when they ran and were caught and ran again. And then, when he came back from the moon and death he had promised again.

And again.

“I know.” Kaito says. He shuts his eyes and then opens them again and opens his arms to gather his brother, as if the physical contact will keep the words at bay.

“Don’t leave me again,” Haruto pleads.

“I’ll stay,” Kaito replies, automatically. He could never do anything other than acquiesce to his brother. “I’ll stay as long as I am able to.”

Haruto smiles, only a little empty.

Telling Dr. Faker is considerably easier. Kaito doesn’t have to be indirect about it, he doesn’t even set aside time for it. Instead he stops, when they would otherwise pass each other by in the hallway. It, of course, helps that Dr. Faker knows. Dr. Faker has always known, there wasn’t any way he was going to be able to save both his sons.

“You have to take better care of Haruto,” Kaito demands.

“Kaito — it’s — “

“It’s already time, so you have to take better care of him. You haven’t been doing enough.” He threatens. Dr. Faker is taller than him, would always be taller than him, but Kaito is more forceful. If anything, he inherited his drive from his father, the ability to sacrifice everything for Haruto. “Don’t bother promising, just do it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I would have made the same choice. I don’t regret that you did.” Because Kaito loves Haruto more than anything. He has thought, on more than one occasion that he can’t _not_ love his brother. That his earliest memories without Haruto are empty, and lonely, and mostly focused on watching his father’s back, but never his face or smile.

And, he would have sacrificed his father in a heartbeat for Haruto.

But Dr. Faker does something unexpected. He rests his palm against Kaito’s cheek and he smiles and says, “You’ve made me so proud.”

Kaito flinches.

He doesn’t tell Yuma or Ryouga or any of them. Instead Kaito finds solace with Astral on the roof while Yuma tries to teach Ryouga how to play dodgeball _properly_ , as in, with friends. It turns out that Rio is a dodgeball prodigy and if Ryouga would stop complaining about how he doesn’t want to do this he would be a lot better at it, as well.

“You seem preoccupied,” Astral comments.

“You’re thinking of other things too.” It’s easy enough to see in Astral’s face. The intent thoughtful expression he wears is too readable and different from his dueling face or from the curious face he wears when he still hasn’t figured out why Yuma needs underwear _and_ trousers, or why Mihael always seems to come in through the window, or why Yuma’s father laughs so loudly.

“Yuma’s growing taller.” Astral says, continues with a slow contemplative tone, “I don’t think that I’ll ever grow taller.”

“I’m finished growing as well,” Kaito offers. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Astral’s expression shift, just a little. “Do you think he’s growing away from you?”

“Since Yuma’s feet are on the ground, he’s growing towards me,” Astral points out.

“He might even grow taller than you,” Kaito doesn’t joke. For once, Astral seems to get the metaphor.

“Haruto is growing taller, as well.”

Kaito shuts his eyes. “Yeah, he is.”

 

 

 

Death doesn’t come quietly, for all his preparations. Instead it comes to him when he’s curled up in his brother’s bed that’s too small for him, and too small for both of them. Haruto clutches onto him, because while Haruto has never (not anymore, not since before he grew sick) feared death. Because Kaito’s watched Haruto’s eyes flick over news reports, obituaries and funerals without changing. Because there was something irrevocably stolen from Haruto as a child, even for as sweet as he smiles.

But Haruto is afraid of losing his brother, and that bridges the chasm that a lack of fear of death created.

Kaito doesn’t have the breath to give any placating words, he regrets not leaving when he planned, because Haruto keeps telling him: You promised not to leave me.

Again and again, he breaks his promises.


End file.
